Easier to Forgive
by LKK
Summary: Memories of Yakumo rejecting her friends in favor of Kiri haunt Sago's dreams. With the nightmares affecting him, will Sago be able to save his friends or himself when the group is attacked?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **Memories of Yakumo rejecting her friends in favor of Kiri haunt Sago's dreams. With the nightmares affecting him, will Sago be able to save his friends or himself when the group is attacked?

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable Shinzo characters and situations are the property of the Toei Animation and Saban Entertainment. This fiction is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Note:** You might notice some initial similarity between this story and Krumsthedmg's story _Forgive and Forget_ which is posted here. LiveJournal's Shinzo community was discussing fanfic story ideas. One of the ideas discussed is the basic premise behind Krums' story and mine. We both decided to tackle the idea and see where our imaginations took us. Krums knows that my story is based on the same premise as hers. In fact, she encouraged me to write my version. In return, I encourage you to read her story if you haven't already done so.

**Chapter 1**

Sago sat on a branch of a tall sturdy oak tree; Kutal sat beside him on his left. Yakumo and the human child Mushra had discovered — Kiri was her name — were hiding on the branch below them. Mushra was on another branch on the same level as the humans. Sago looked below to make sure their vehicles were safely hidden. Yakumo's robotic transport Hakuba, his scooter, Mushra's hoverboard, and Kutal's automobile were nestled in the crooks of various branches. The insect-like Enterrans searching for them on the ground would never spot them through the dense tree canopy.

Sago sighed softly. According to Kiri, Shinzo was a castle fortress where the last surviving humans on Enterra were held prisoner. Yakumo had convinced the young girl to lead them there. Now the three Enterrans and the two humans were hiding in the oak tree located on the lakeshore across from the castle. They hoped to find a way inside, but it wasn't going to be easy. Patrol guards riding giant caterpillars were looking for them. Mushra pointed out that more soldiers were landing on their side of the shore.

"What do you think we should do?" Sago asked quietly. His companions' answers were predictable. Kutal wanted to eat. Mushra wanted to fight. Kiri who was terrified of all Enterrans including him found Mushra's comment as proof that all Enterrans wanted to do was fight each other. Sago ignored Mushra's protestations and Yakumo's reassurances to the child; he concentrated on getting into the castle. "There're too many for us to fight them," he said watching the patrols pass below them again. "We're going to have try to get into the castle without them noticing us."

Mushra was skeptical. "Right. And how are we going to do that?"

"I don't know," Sago admitted. "But Kiri does!" he added looking at the girl expectantly. Kiri had escaped from Shinzo before Mushra found her. If she knew a way out, Sago reasoned, she must also know a way in.

After some prompting from the others, Kiri confessed that a secret passage was the only way past the guards and into Shinzo. However, she refused to tell them where. "Not unless the Enterrans stay behind!" she added.

Sago and Kutal exchanged dismayed glances. Enterrans had killed Kiri's parents when she was younger. Now the child hated and feared all Enterrans. Sago understood the girl's anger, but he was frustrated by her insistence that all Enterrans were evil human murderers. Mushra, Kutal, and he cared deeply for Yakumo and extended that concern to all humans. Sago didn't consider himself a threat to humans. For months, he had journeyed with Yakumo and the others to reach Shinzo and find other humans, often at a risk to his own life. To be intensely distrusted by a human child now that they were close to reaching Shinzo was a hurtful feeling. Sago's attention returned to the debate below him just in time to hear Yakumo announce that she and Kiri would go together to Shinzo without the Enterrans. Sago was shocked.

"I see. So that's how it is, huh?" Mushra asked scornfully. Yakumo didn't understand his meaning. "You feel just like she does. Even after all we've been through, you don't trust us! You think we're all monsters, don't you?" Yakumo stammered in her confusion. The hurt in Sago's heart grew.

Kiri answered for Yakumo. "Of course she does! She's a human being, and all humans hate Enterrans!" Despite Yakumo's protests, Kiri would not stop. "Why don't you go away and leave us alone!"

Sago couldn't remain quiet any longer. "Is that how you feel, Yakumo?" he asked worriedly.

"Is Kiri right?" Kutal added.

Again, Kiri answered when Yakumo could only stammer. "Please say that's how you feel. You're a human being, and Enterrans destroyed our world. Oh, please say you're on my side cause if you don't, all hope is gone!" The sobbing child buried her face in Yakumo's chest. Yakumo stroked her hair.

"So what's it going to be? Kiri or us?"

"Mushra, please don't force me to choose," Yakumo begged. "I …"

"Tell them, Yakumo. Tell them you want them to go away. Please."

Mushra was insistent. "Well, Yakumo?"

Yakumo looked at the girl in her arms and then at each Enterran in turn. "This is so hard. You are my friends. But to join humans again and find out what happened to my father … Please understand. I must do this." The hurt in Sago's heart burned his spirit.

"You're with her," Mushra spat. The Enterran ignored Yakumo's call as he turned around. "Who needs you?" he muttered. Jumping from branch to branch down through the oak tree, he landed on the branch holding his hoverboard and prepared to fly away.

_Mushra has the right idea,_ Sago thought. "We'd better get going as well, Kutal," he said to his friend.

Yakumo looked up at him. "Sago?"

He couldn't look at her. Her warm blue eyes had always been a source of welcome and comfort to Sago. Now, he was afraid they might hold rejection instead. "I've always made it a practice of mine never to stick around where I'm not wanted," he said with more bitterness than he had intended. Without another word, Sago turned and leapt from his perch to the branch below him. He overheard Kutal and Yakumo exchange words, but he no longer cared what they were saying. He had heard enough.

Reaching his scooter, Sago sat down and started it up. He heard rustling in the branches on the other side of the tree. _That must be Mushra leaving,_ he thought. _My turn's next._ Moments later, he heard Kutal's automobile start up followed by rustling branches. Below the tree, the guard patrols were shouting. They had been spotted. _At least, we'll provide the girls a diversion. The bugs can chase us for awhile while they go to Shinzo. Alone._

Sago cleared the branches. He wasn't worried about escaping the Enterran guards on their caterpillar mounts. His scooter could fly higher than the caterpillars could reach. Right then, a weight landed on Sago's back. The scooter wobbled from the impact and the uneven weight distribution. Thin hands reached around his neck and began to squeeze.

"Land now, Enterran. Or I will strangle you to death!" a voice hissed in his ear.

"Kiri?" Sago sputtered. "What are you doing?" he cried while trying to steady the scooter and keep it airborne.

"Land!" The grip on Sago's neck tightened.

"Okay! Okay! But the guards will catch us!" he gasped.

"Do it!"

Completely confused, Sago landed the scooter. Kiri didn't increase the pressure around his neck. Neither did she ease up. Once they were on the ground, the girl wrapped her legs around Sago's waist and ordered him to get off the scooter. To the Enterran's surprise, none of the patrols came near them. They were alone on the ground except for one other who walked out of the mist to join them. Sago's confusion increased when he recognized the person. "Yakumo? How did you get down so quickly? What's going on? We've got to get out of here. The patrols will be here any minute!" His sentences came out in a panicked rush.

"Quiet, Enterran," Kiri ordered.

Sago felt Kiri's legs leave his waist as she dropped to the ground. She removed her hands from his neck. Before he could react, however, the girl had gripped his arms. What happened next caught Sago off guard. He felt the human child behind him grow rapidly. Kiri grew until she nearly twice Sago's size. Based on the grip she had of his arms, Sago guessed that her strength had increased along with her size. "I didn't know humans had a hypermode," he said, too stunned to realize the absurdity of the thought.

Yakumo laughed. Sago tore his attention back to the human woman he thought he had known so well these past months. Never before had he heard her laugh so coldly, so calculatingly, so cruelly. "Yakumo?" he whispered.

Yakumo approached the Enterran slowly. With her every step, Sago's confusion grew and turned into a rising fear. _What's going on?_ he thought. Or maybe he had said it aloud, Sago wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of anything at the moment. Finally within arm's length of the Enterran, Yakumo reached out, pushed aside his cloak, and laid her hand flat on Sago's chest. Without thinking, Sago stepped backwards to avoid her but backed into Kiri who still held him firmly in place. He had no where to go, no way to escape the madness that was happening.

Sago felt Yakumo's fingers curl against him until only her fingernails rested on him. He couldn't imagine what she planned to do. He only knew that her actions scared him. "Yakumo, please! Don't!" he begged. Yakumo's nails tore through his shirt then dug into his skin. Her hand followed her nails deep into his chest. Pain ripped through him. Sago screamed. Yakumo was relentless. Deep into his body, she pushed until she found what she wanted. Sago felt her grab something inside him and then withdraw her arm. He screamed again as her bloody hand left his body holding her prize.

His vision blurred by tears, his thoughts racked by agony, Sago stared at Yakumo and tried to comprehend what had happened. With effort, he focused on what Yakumo held in front of him. His sight cleared enough for him to make out a small thin rectangle — a card actually. The side facing him was covered in an intricate design. The card looked familiar. He had seen similar ones before.

"My … my ... En card!" Sago gasped in realization. Yakumo had removed his En card from his body. The En card contained an Enterran's spirit and kept him alive. If that card were destroyed, Sago would die.

Behind him, Kiri laughed wickedly. "Do it, Yakumo. Do it for all humans," she urged.

Yakumo nodded. Holding the card in front of her as if it were something disgusting, Yakumo grabbed one edge of the En card with both hands. Blood from her hand dripped down the card. Sago shuddered, cold with the knowledge of what was to come.

"Please, Yakumo! No!"

"For the sake of humanity," Yakumo declared. Her voice echoed with the power of vengeance. "Death to all Enterrans!"

Yakumo ripped the card in two. Sago felt the pain in his chest intensify. Agony spread throughout him. His body shattered into millions of fragments. The pieces hovered in midair for a moment as if reluctant to submit to their fate then dissolved into nothingness.

Sago was gone.

**To Be Continued …**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable Shinzo characters and situations are the property of the Toei Animation and Saban Entertainment. This fiction is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Note:** I want to give a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful people who reviewed Chapter 1. I deeply appreciate that you took the time to drop me a note letting me know what you thought of the chapter. I hope you will enjoy Chapter 2!

**Chapter 2**

A massive convulsion rocked Sago's body. He woke with a start in a cold sweat, breathless, unable see anything other than spots before his eyes or to hear any sounds other than the pounding of his heart. He remained motionless on his back while the panic subsided. Slowly his breathing returned to normal. The spots dissolved into stars in the night sky above him. The pounding subsided into the quiet murmurs of a jungle not quite awake. Sago sighed and propped himself up on his elbows.

As was his habit immediately upon waking, Sago looked for his friends. A few feet away from him, Kutal slept in his automobile. The Enterran had stretched his feet over the steering wheel and his head over the seat back. If the vehicle had had a roof, Kutal would never have been able to sleep in that position. Sago frequently wondered how the large Enterran managed to get into that position even without a roof. Despite his size, Kutal was extremely flexible.

Yakumo slept in Hakuba a few more feet farther away from Sago. From his position on the ground, he couldn't see the human. She must have reclined the seat back so that she was lying down. Hakuba's glass roof kept her warm and dry from the cool moist night air. Mushra lay on the ground beside Hakuba, his back resting against the robotic transport. Mushra's hoverboard was a foot away from him. Sago smiled. Mushra always started the night with his head resting on the hoverboard as if it were a pillow. However, by the morning, the Enterran always ended up next to Hakuba. Even asleep, Mushra's feelings for Yakumo controlled his actions.

Satisfied that his friends were asleep and safe, Sago sat up fully and shifted so that his back was against his scooter. He propped up one knee, grabbed the edges of his cloak, and wrapped his arms around himself to ward off the chill damp. A quick glance to the sky told him there was an hour before dawn. Sago sniffed in disgust at the early hour, closed his eyes, and forced himself to think about the nightmare that had awakened him.

The nightmare of Yakumo's betrayal and his death had haunted Sago for nearly two weeks. Lately, the nightmare occurred several times during a single night. Sago was exhausted from the lack of restful sleep. Adding to his troubles was the puzzling question of why he was having the nightmare at all. The dream was true to actual events but only up to the point where Sago, Mushra, and Kutal left Yakumo and Kiri hiding in the oak tree. After the Enterrans left, the three had spent the early hours of that evening separately. Sago passed the time tossing a coin debating whether or not to leave the girls to go to Shinzo alone. "Heads, we stay. Tails, we're out of here." The coin kept landing tails up. So Sago kept tossing the coin until it landed the way he truly wanted.

When the coin finally landed heads up, he had sought out Mushra and Kutal to see if they wanted to stay as well. The feeling was mutual. During their discussion, the Enterrans realized that Yakumo had never intended to disown their friendship. They unanimously decided to return to the girls. The three crossed the lake to the Shinzo castle in time to rescue Yakumo and Kiri from the guards. Yakumo apologized for asking the Enterrans to leave. Knowing that she had become confused as a result of Kiri's pleading, they quickly forgave her and set the issue aside. Friendship between the Enterrans and Yakumo restored, the five headed for the castle.

Unfortunately, the girls were captured a few minutes later. The Enterrans quickly became prisoners as well. During their capture, Yakumo and the Enterrans learned that the castle they had thought was Shinzo — the last reported home of humanity — was actually the fortress home of Daku, the king of the insect Enterrans. Worst of all, Kiri whom they had thought was a human girl was in reality a shape-shifting Enterran sent to lure Yakumo and her friends to Daku's fortress.

With much effort, the Enterrans and Yakumo were able to defeat Daku and escape the fake Shinzo. Afterwards, a subspatial warp created by Hakuba brought them to this jungle where they had been traveling for the past two weeks. Every night since their escape, the nightmare with its modified version of history ruined Sago's sleep. Sago couldn't understand why the nightmare haunted him. He had forgiven Yakumo for her choice. With his whole being, he knew she had not meant to betray their friendship. However, he couldn't seem to forget that despite her intent, Yakumo had done just that.

The ancient saying _Forgive and forget_ sprang to Sago's mind. "I guess some times it's easier to forgive than to forget," he said to the early morning air.

Sago crossed his arms on top of his bent knee, rested his head on his arms, and closed his eyes. With the dawn coming and the anguish of the nightmare still heavy on his mind, he made no attempt to fall asleep however. He let his mind wander while he waited for his friends to wake from their peaceful slumbers — a peacefulness that had eluded him lately and one that he desperately wished to reclaim.

About an hour after dawn, everyone in the group had awakened and taken care of their private needs. The four friends gathered around Hakuba to discuss the day's plan. Kutal wanted to stay where they were camped at least long enough for breakfast. Mushra was eager to start traveling again while Yakumo and Sago were undecided. Hakuba interrupted the discussion with an opinion of his own.

"Yakumo," the robot said, its mechanical voice sounding slightly hollow. "I have reviewed my power reserves. I do not think I have sufficient levels for a lengthy journey. In fact, my reserves are dangerously low. I should take time to recharge before setting forth."

"Hakuba! Will you be alright?" Yakumo asked worriedly. Although Hakuba was a robot, its artificial intelligence made it seem like a living being. Yakumo was as fond of it as she was of her Enterran friends.

"Do not worry," the robot assured her. "Creating the subspatial warp was more challenging than I had realized. My power usage was higher than expected. However, if I rest until nightfall tomorrow, my power reserves will be recharged. I should be able to travel for some time afterwards without difficulty."

Mushra frowned. "I thought you rested after we got out of the warp. Wasn't that enough?"

The robot's head swung from side to side, simulating a negative headshake. "No. I thought it would be sufficient at the time. But the heat and humidity in this jungle meant that I had to use more energy in order to keep Yakumo comfortable."

"Hakuba, you should not have wasted extra energy on my comfort," Yakumo scolded. "I would have done without the comfort if I had known. You should have said something."

"Your safety and comfort is my principle duty," Hakuba replied. "I am programmed to do whatever is necessary to achieve that aim."

"Well, what's done is done," Sago pointed out. He looked around the area where they had spent the night, evaluating it as a potential campsite for the next two days. "This glade is as good a place to let Hakuba recharge as any we're likely to find. There are probably fruit trees nearby. Plenty of firewood lying on the ground."

"And anyone who might attack us would have to come out of the trees into the open before they can reach us," Mushra added.

"That settles it," said Kutal. "We'll stay here while Hakuba recharges. Agreed?" A chorus of um-hum, yep, and head nods answered him. "Excellent! Then I will start making breakfast."

The travelers' laughter echoed through the clearing at Kutal's unsurprising announcement. Hakuba reduced its power levels until it was in recharge mode. With Yakumo's help, Kutal unpacked his cooking utensils from the trunk of his vehicle and started arranging a small area for cooking.

"I'll get some more firewood," Sago called as he headed off into the trees.

"Hey, Yakumo! Would you like some fresh fruit for breakfast? I can look for some in the trees on my hoverboard."

"That would be very nice, Mushra. Thank you." Mushra blushed at her warm response, hopped on his board, and prepared to fly off. "Be careful, Mushra. Don't go too far," Yakumo cautioned.

"Don't worry. I won't get into any trouble," the Enterran called over his shoulder as he left the glade.

Kutal snickered. "Mushra not get into trouble? That's like me not wanting to cook." Yakumo giggled. She knew Kutal was right.

* * *

"Why do I have to do morning patrols?" whined the younger of two Enterrans walking through the jungle growth.

"You're in Lord Braegon's army now, Tylis, you'll do as you're told," the older one growled back. "If Captain Luchrisk says that you do the morning patrol, you do the morning patrol. If he says clean the huts, you clean the huts. Now quit your belly-aching!" The older Enterran stomped ahead through the undergrowth pushing aside the branches as he encountered them. Most of them snapped back in place just in time to hit Tylis's face.

"I'd rather have hut duty. At least then, I could sleep until breakfast, eat, and clean the huts after everyone is finished," Tylis muttered. He pushed aside another branch that had hit him. "But no, I have to be up before dawn, follow Gorilla Hemanth around, and get smacked in the face instead. Hey, Hemanth what do you think …" Tylis called, but he interrupted himself when he heard sound of a strange whining sound coming towards the pair.

"Quiet!" Hemanth hissed. The two crouched down and hid beneath the overhanging branches. The sound came from above their heads. Looking up, they saw a hoverboard fly across the sky. Standing atop the board was a young Enterran male, his arms laden with fruit. He seemed to be determined to catch another fruit that had slipped from his grasp and was falling to the ground. Just before the fruit was about to hit the branches of the tree hiding the two patrol members, the Enterran swooped down and snatched his prize.

"Gotcha! Thought you were going to get away from me, didn't you? No way. You're going to be Yakumo's breakfast."

Tylis watched as the strange Enterran flew off still talking to the fruit. He didn't notice that Hemanth had left his side and was running after the stranger trying to keep the hoverboard in sight.

"Come on, you idiot!" Hemanth yelled back. "We've got to find out who that runt is so we can inform Captain Luchrisk!" Tylis scrambled to his feet and took off.

Tylis and Hemanth tracked the Enterran and his hoverboard to a clearing in the jungle where three other Enterrans were waiting — two males and a female. Hidden safely behind the tree line, Hemanth evaluated the situation. The four looked like they were preparing to eat breakfast. There were no obvious weapons. Judging by the number of vehicles in the clearing, there were unlikely to be any more strangers than the four he could see at the moment. Hemanth made a decision.

"Tylis, go get Captain Luchrisk. Tell him we have found four strangers and bring him here," he instructed. "I'll stay here and keep watch on them." Tylis started to complain but Hemanth silenced him with a hand gesture. "Go!" he ordered. The younger Enterran turned, loudly snapping a branch beneath his foot in the process. He grinned a sheepish apology to Hemanth and then took off after seeing the look on the older Enterran's face. "Idiot," Hemanth muttered.

Hemanth focused his attention on the strangers in the glade. Captain Luchrisk would want to know as much as possible about them when he arrived. Creeping silently through the trees, Hemanth edged his way closer to the campsite for a better evaluation of the strangers. He hoped to overhear some of their conversation.

Hemanth studied the fat Enterran first. Hemanth knew that Enterrans were descendents of humans who had had animal DNA mixed with their human DNA in an attempt to fight off a virus that was ravaging the human population of Enterra then called the Earth. Even now, five hundred years later, most Enterrans showed physical traces of their animal DNA. For some Enterrans, their animal DNA gave them special fighting abilities. Like all the members of their tribe, Hemanth and Tylis had gorilla DNA in their heritage. Strong arm and leg muscles were the hallmark of their tribe members. Based on the fat Enterran's yellow fur, triangle-shaped ears, and whiskers, Hemanth guessed this one had some feline DNA in him. The others called him "Kutal". At first, Hemanth thought Kutal's size might make him a dangerous fighter and the feline DNA might make him swift, but after watching the fat cat-like Enterran mince around the campsite preparing breakfast, he dismissed the notions and focused on the others.

One of the males wore a blue cloak and a helmet. The cloak prevented Hemanth from getting a good look at the Enterran's arm and chest muscles. But based on his skinny legs, Hemanth doubted this one would be too dangerous either. Hemanth made a mental note that the helmet would protect "Sago" from head blows. Unlike the cat-like Enterran, Sago showed no traces of his animal DNA. Hemanth couldn't predict what special animal traits this one would have if any.

The same was true for the shortest and youngest of the Enterran males, the one who had ridden the hoverboard. The youngster had purple hair and wore a black jumpsuit partially covered with orange armor. The suit's short sleeves revealed the Enterran's muscular arms. This one — the one the others called "Mushra" — he would be the strangers' best fighter Hemanth decided. Furthermore, based on the youngster's swaggering behavior, he would be an eager fighter. Hemanth grinned. _This might be fun after all,_ he thought.

Hemanth glanced briefly at the female in the group then took a longer look. Pretty, brown-haired, taller than the one called Mushra but shorter than the one called Sago, the female showed no trace of animal DNA even in her eyes as most Enterrans did. _Very strange-looking blue eyes,_ Hemanth thought with a jolt. He had never seen an Enterran with such unusual eyes. The Enterran patrolman made another mental note. He would make sure that Captain Luchrisk knew how strange and captivating the female's eyes were. The female called "Yakumo" might require the Captain's special lecherous attention.

* * *

Inside the camp, Yakumo watched as Kutal put the finishing touches on the morning meal. The aroma wafted by her nose, and she sniffed appreciatively. "Kutal, that smells wonderful."

"It would be better if I could have found all the spices I needed," he answered. "But when forging through the jungle, one must do with whatever one finds."

Yakumo laughed lightly. "I'm sure it will taste just as wonderful as it smells." From the trunk of Kutal's automobile, Yakumo picked up a stack of glasses and carried it to Sago who was tending the campfire. "Would you do the honors?" she asked, holding a single glass in front of him.

Sago grinned. "No problem," he said. He stuck out his hand, and a small stream of water flowed from his index finger into the glass.

Yakumo's eyes danced as she held out each glass in turn for her friend to fill. She had become accustomed to Sago's ability to produce water from thin air, but it still delighted her to watch it happen. Yakumo was holding the final glass for him to fill when Sago's concentration was broken by a huge yawn. In his distraction, Sago unintentionally increased the force of the water turning it from a stream into a powerful blast. The water surged beyond Yakumo and struck Mushra knocking him down. Sago immediately stopped the water spray when he realized what he had done.

Yakumo turned to see the youngest Enterran sitting on the ground in a huff. She hurriedly bit her lip. Mushra was dripping from head to toe, but she was determined not to laugh at the sight. Mushra could be quite temperamental. He despised people laughing at him when he wasn't laughing along with them. And right now, Mushra was definitely not laughing. Unfortunately, Kutal started chuckling at Mushra's dilemma. Yakumo winced. Mushra was going to be upset; she could tell from his expression.

"Sorry, Mushra!" Sago apologized. When Mushra started growling, Sago backed away hands up in front of him to ward off the angry Enterran. "I didn't mean to. Honest!" After Mushra leapt from the ground, Sago turned and fled with a yelp. Mushra chased Sago around the campsite trying to land a retaliatory punch in the nose. In the process, they knocked over Kutal's stew pot spilling some of the food in it on the ground. Furious at the loss of his culinary work of art, Kutal joined in the chase. Hunter and prey moments earlier, Mushra and Sago became sudden allies in their efforts to evade the incensed chef.

With a small smile, Yakumo ignored her friends and sought to salvage what she could of their morning meal. In their months together, the woman had learned that when her friends weren't united fighting a common enemy, they were just as likely to be fighting each other. No one would be injured in their fights. _They wouldn't seriously hurt each other,_ she reminded herself as the three tussled on the ground. _Well, not intentionally._ Another yelp from Sago focused her attention on what started the incident. Yakumo frowned as she remembered what had happened. _Sago never loses control of his water power like that,_ she thought. _Not just because he yawned. That's not like him._ Yakumo looked down at Sago, now pinned to the ground by Kutal who was sitting on top of Mushra and him. _Sago looks so tired. Now that I think of it, he's looked really tired all week._ The thought worried her. _I wonder if he's all right?_

**To Be Continued …**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **All recognizable Shinzo characters and situations are the property of the Toei Animation and Saban Entertainment. This fiction is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Note:** Again, I want to thank everyone who has left me a review for this story. I hope Chapter 3 lives up to your expectations!

**Chapter 3**

Safely hidden behind the tree line circling the glade, Hemanth watched as the four strangers finished their breakfast and began to clean up the remains. _Where is that fool, Tylis? _the Enterran patrol guard fumed to himself. _If he doesn't bring Captain Luchrisk soon, they'll be gone._ Fearing that he might have to follow the strangers if they left the clearing, Hemanth began to plan a way to leave a trail so obvious that even an idiot like Tylis could follow. He soon realized that there would be no need to move though. As the strangers put away their cooking equipment, it became obvious that they had no plans to leave the glade immediately. Hemanth overheard one of the males mention that they weren't leaving because another person called "Hakuba" needed to rest. For a moment, Hemanth was concerned because he had not seen a fifth Enterran in the group. However, he quickly surmised that if this Hakuba needed to rest so badly that the group was going to remain where it was, then this Hakuba person would not pose a danger to Captain Luchrisk's troops.

In the glade, the strangers settled down for what Hemanth interpreted as a lengthy stay. The helmet-wearing Enterran started a card game with himself. The female and the youngest male struck up an inconsequential conversation. The fat one busied himself with the cooking utensils, apparently repositioning them in the trunk of his vehicle. Hemanth shifted to a more comfortable position and silently cursed Tylis again for taking so long to return.

Nearly two full hours had passed before Hemanth heard the quiet sounds that indicated Tylis had returned with a troop of patrol guards. Hemanth hissed softly to direct the troop to his exact position. Tylis came into view first, his foot snapping on a broken branch as he neared his partner. Hemanth glared at him. "Idiot!"

"Quiet," a new voice ordered.

"Captain Luchrisk," Hemanth whispered deferentially. The captain of Lord Braegon's border patrols came out from behind the trees. Captain Luchrisk was taller than Hemanth by a full head height. While Hemanth's gorilla DNA was obvious from his hairy arms, disproportionate limbs, and his facial features, Luchrisk's gorilla heritage was subtler. Luchrisk looked far more like the humans who used to rule Enterra. Despite Luchrisk's more human looks, Hemanth knew that the captain was mentally and physically superior to almost every gorilla Enterran Hemanth knew. Captain Luchrisk had long ago earned Hemanth's respect.

"Tell me about the strangers," Luchrisk commanded as he observed the four in the glade.

Hemanth quickly recounted the strangers' activities since he first discovered the one flying on his hoverboard. He mentioned that they planned to remain where they were while Hakuba rested and ended his report with his estimations on the strangers' fighting capabilities. Almost as a side-thought, Hemanth directed Luchrisk's attention to the female. "She has the strangest eyes I've ever seen. Very pretty." The leering hint in Hemanth' voice was obvious.

Intrigued, Luchrisk focused on the female. She was indeed very pretty, he observed, and somehow familiar. He concentrated briefly, trying to remember why. All his lecherous thoughts chilled in the instant of recognition. "You fools! That's the human Yakumo!" Tylis and Hemanth exchanged puzzled looks. "The human on the wanted poster that King Daku sent us. You should have recognized her immediately," Luchrisk continued. "You claim to be Lord Braegon's soldiers, but you don't even recognize the most dangerous enemy to all Enterrans. You disgust me."

"But, Captain Luchrisk — "

Luchrisk waved off Hemanth's protests. "I will deal with you later. First we must capture the human." Luchrisk scowled as he thought. All his life, he had heard stories and rumors about humans from the time before The Great War between humans and Enterrans five hundred years ago. Lately, rumors were spreading about this particular human that had miraculously survived from that time. A sizeable bounty had been offered for her capture. Lord Braegon was especially eager to collect the bounty and would be willing to share a portion with Luchrisk if he brought the human to his master. Before he could bring her to Braegon, however, her three protectors would have to be eliminated.

Luchrisk had been traveling with ten patrolmen when Tylis encountered them. Counting Tylis and that other incompetent, Hemanth, Luchrisk had twelve Enterrans at his command. Four of his guards to each one of the human's protectors — he liked the odds. _They should be easily defeated,_ he thought. Luchrisk motioned for his patrolmen to gather for their orders. He indicated that the twelve should surround the glade's perimeter. Each was to signal when he was in place. When everyone was in position, Luchrisk would signal for the attack. "I don't care what happens to the Enterrans," Luchrisk said as his final instruction. "Reduce them to En cards if you like. But I want the human captured alive. If the human is killed, I will personally card and destroy the card of the soldier responsible for her death. Do I make myself clear?" Satisfied by the fearful expressions on his troop's faces, he dismissed them with a wave of his hand. Luchrisk turned his attention to the four in the glade. _Soon, human, you will belong to Lord Braegon._ Luchrisk smiled at the thought. _And I will be a very rich Enterran._ Another even more pleasant thought struck him, and Luchrisk's smile widened at the idea_. Perhaps Lord Braegon will allow me to play with her while we wait for our bounty._

* * *

In the glade, Kutal busied himself rearranging the contents of his automobile's trunk. Mushra and Yakumo sat near Hakuba talking. From what Sago overheard, Yakumo was telling Mushra about her life before her father placed her in suspended animation. Normally, Sago would sit with them listening to her fascinating tales. However at the moment, he was trying to conceal his exhaustion from the others. The pre-breakfast scuffle with Mushra and Kutal had been very tiring. Not wanting to alert the others as to how tired he was, Sago had retreated a short distance and concentrated on his deck of cards. He was playing a two-person card game pitting his left hand against his right hand. Both hands were losing. Bemused, Sago shook his head. _I must be more tired than I realized. It's not possible for both hands to be losing at the same time!_

Sago hesitated before shuffling the deck for the next round, his attention drawn to the surrounding jungle. The jungle noises had increased as if something was disturbing the birds and animals. Mushra's head cocked to one side, and he shifted his attention to the jungle as well.

"What do you think —"

A shrill whistle interrupted the question. Before the travelers could react, twelve hulking forms stepped from the tree shadows into the clearing. Some carried swords; others had pikes. The four were surrounded.

"Give us the human, and we will let you live," Hemanth commanded.

Mushra jumped to his feet. "We're not giving you anything!" From the pouch hanging on his waistband, he withdrew his collapsible metal quarterstaff. With a click, the pole expanded to its full size. Mushra twirled it hand over hand. "Except a good fight! Yakumo, stay down!" he ordered before charging at the intruders.

Mushra's attack cued the melee. The gorilla Enterrans tightened their circle, advancing forward to meet the challenge. Kutal grabbed his long-handled mace from the trunk of his vehicle and ran to meet them. Sago scrambled to his feet. By the time he was upright, he had retrieved his weapon from its pouch and had extended the blades from each end of the weapon in a single motion. Following Mushra's orders, Yakumo remained where she was, but she shifted from a sitting position to a crouch, ready to run if the fighting came too near.

Mushra and Hemanth met midway between the campsite and the tree line. With a battle cry, Mushra struck first, bringing his pole down towards Hemanth's head. The gorilla Enterran deflected the blow with his sword. The clank of metal on metal rang out across the clearing. Hemanth swung his sword in an undercut at Mushra's stomach. The young Enterran jumped back just in time to avoid a serious wound. Three more of the gorilla Enterrans closed in on Mushra from behind intending to pierce Mushra with their pikes. With a yell, Mushra swirled to meet them swinging his pole by one end. The three leapt back to safety. Mushra finished his circular turn just in time to block a slash from Hemanth's sword.

Kutal faced four pike-wielding Enterrans. One jabbed low at Kutal. He blocked the blow with his mace, swinging the weapon in a wide arc that held off an attack from another. The third moved in, intending to strike Kutal. The swoosh of the pike coming towards him provided Kutal his only warning. Cat-like, Kutal jumped to one side. The pike blade passed close enough for the breeze to ruffle his fur, but Kutal was not hit.

With a flick of his wrist, Sago launched his weapon towards the Enterrans coming for him. It spun rapidly as it sailed away from him, effectively turning the twin-bladed weapon into a spinning cutting disk. Tylis barely managed to duck beneath the flying disk. The disk reached the apex of its arc and spun back towards Sago. Tylis ducked again; however, the Enterran standing next to him lost the tip of his pike as the blades sliced through it. The blades flew back to Sago's grasp. He launched it again this time with far less control and power. The weapon wobbled and lost momentum. It dove blade-edge down into the ground. Sago froze, stunned to see his throw fail.

From her place by Hakuba, Yakumo watched as her three friends fought to protect her. Sago's failed throw shocked her nearly as much as it did him. An inarticulate cry escaped her, diverting Sago's attention from his attackers. Tylis took advantage of the opportunity. He ran past Sago, slicing the distracted Enterran on the arm with his sword as he passed, and sprinted to Yakumo. Before any of her defenders could react, Tylis pulled Yakumo up from the ground and held the sword to her throat.

"YAKUMO!" Sago's outburst interrupted all the fighting. Everyone looked to Sago and followed his gaze to Yakumo. A silent stillness reigned as they considered this new development.

"Mushra!" Yakumo's cry broke the silence.

"Let Yakumo go!" Mushra took an angry step towards Tylis and his captive, but found his way blocked by Hemanth's sword.

"One more step, and Tylis will cut her throat, boy," Hemanth warned.

Mushra was beyond furious. "That's it! You've gone too far! Hyper flame!" he yelled.

A glowing red light enveloped Mushra's body. Through the red haze, Hemanth watched the small Enterran grow taller and more muscular. When the transformation was nearly done, the red light coalesced into a brilliant column that shot towards the sky before vanishing. Standing in the young Enterran's place was an older, stronger warrior encased in red armor from head to toe. Mushra's quarterstaff had transformed into a javelin. He pointed the blade end at Hemanth. "I said, 'Let Yakumo go'," Mushra repeated in a menacingly quiet tone.

Cries of "He's got a hypermode!" and "He's a Hyper Enterran!" signaled the attackers' dismay at the change in their fortune.

"He's not the only one," answered Kutal. "Eye of the tiger!"

At his command, a yellow light similar to the red one that had left Mushra transformed engulfed Kutal. Within the light, Kutal's body changed. After the yellow column shot skywards, Kutal no longer resembled an overgrown housecat. Instead, he seemed more like a lion — a fierce and dangerous warrior. Kutal's mace had changed as well. He now held a sword in his right hand. With no hesitation, Kutal swung his left hand up above his head and then drove it into the ground. "Enterra quake!" he roared.

The long claws on Kutal's fingers tore into the ground causing crevices to run outwards through the campsite. The force of the blow transferred to the ground. Seismic rumbles rocked the area. Kutal had aimed his strike so that one of the crevices shot between Yakumo's and Tylis's feet throwing them off-balance. Yakumo shoved the sword away from her throat as she fell. As the quake split the ground at her feet, Yakumo twisted out of Tylis's grasp. The gorilla Enterran fell one way; the woman fell the other. The widening crevice temporarily placed her beyond Tylis's reach. As soon as she could scramble to her feet, Yakumo ran in search of safety.

Stunned by his failed weapon throw and the wound to his arm, Sago had watched Yakumo's capture and his friends' transformations in a daze. The seismic quake knocked him off his feet, and he fell on his side. His wounded arm hit the ground hard. He briefly lost consciousness from the pain. When Sago returned to his senses, he realized that the fighting had started up again. Around him, he could hear the clash of metal on metal, the battle cries, and the occasional swoosh of a fire throw as Mushra used the power of fire that came with his hypermode form. Looking up, he saw that Yakumo was safe for the moment, but it wouldn't be long before the Enterran who held her would be able to reach her again. Sago staggered to his feet, his hand clutched at the arm wound trying to stop the bleeding, and headed to his blade that was still stuck in the ground a few feet away. His attackers moved in to stop him. Sago extended his good arm and concentrated. A blast of water shot from his palm, knocking them down just as it had done to Mushra earlier in the morning. Sago ran for blade and yanked it from the ground. Exhaustion, anger, pain, and most of all frustration at the situation overwhelmed the Enterran.

Without another thought, he called for his own hypermode. "Hydro power!"

Sago felt a familiar warmth on his forehead moments before a sparkling blue haze obscured his vision. He felt his body grow, expand, and firm as the hypermode transformation progressed. The ticklish sensation of two horns sprouting from the top his head came next followed by a reshaping of his eyes and his face. When the blue light cleared from his vision, even his clothing was transformed. Sago gratefully noted that the arm wound was not present in his hyperform and that he was no longer as tired as before. He felt fully restored and grinned at the thought. "Would you like to try again?" he courteously asked the gorilla Enterrans he had hit with his water blast.

After setting off the seismic quakes, Kutal focused on reaching Yakumo before Tylis could recapture her. The four Enterrans who had singled him out at the start of the fight regrouped once the ground stopped shaking. They formed a defensive wall. Kutal leapt forward. With a rapid series of fist blows and sword swipes, the leonine Hyper Enterran quickly defeated them. His lethal sword cuts reduced each attacker to his En card, the gorilla Enterrans' bodies shattered into fragments and dissolved into nothingness leaving only their cards behind to fall onto the grass. Kutal sped towards Tylis and Yakumo.

Mushra thrust his javelin into the chest of one of his attackers. He continued to push the pole until the blade end had cut entirely through and came out through the back. The gorilla Enterran's body dissolved, and his En card dropped to the ground. Mushra turned and faced Hemanth. "Three down. That leaves you to go," Mushra advised him.

To Mushra's surprise, Hemanth smiled at the comment. "Not yet," he said. "Hyper mode!" Mushra shaded his eyes as a sickly green light surrounded his opponent. When the light cleared, the gorilla Enterran was nearly twice as big as before. The heavy mat of hair on his arms and chest had melded into a smooth hard black coating. His upper incisor teeth had lengthened to wicked looking tusks. His hands sported razor-sharp talons instead of fingernails. "Want to play, little boy?" Hemanth growled.

Yakumo ran for the tree line as fast as she could. She knew that as long as she was in danger of being captured, she would be a liability to her friends. If Yakumo were caught again, her friends would do anything to free her, including sacrificing themselves if necessary. Behind her, she could hear the pounding footsteps of the Enterran who had captured her before. The pounding grew louder. Others must have joined the chase. The strange Enterrans were faster than she was. She would never make it to the trees in time. From behind, she heard a yell of triumph. She sensed a hand reach out to grab her. Unwillingly, Yakumo screamed in terror. A lion's roar cut off her scream. Yakumo skidded to a halt, turned, and gasped as she saw Kutal slam into her attacker. The two flew to the ground and rolled over and over, each locked in the other's grip. Kutal broke one arm free and smashed Tylis's jaw. Kutal rose to his knees and launched a savage punch through Tylis's stomach, his arm not stopping until it hit the ground Tylis lay on. The gorilla Enterran's body fragmented. Only his En card remained.

Kutal stood and looked at Yakumo. "Are you all right?" She nodded. "Good. Hide in the trees until we're finished. I need to help Mushra." Yakumo retreated to the tree line as ordered but did nothing to hide herself. She was too worried for her friends. She watched as Sago's blade sliced through the last of his attackers. The strange Enterran fragmented as the others had. Sago didn't wait for the En card to hit the ground; he ran to the part of the clearing where Mushra faced Hemanth. Kutal reached the scene at the same time. The two took up positions around the gorilla Enterran; along with Mushra, the three formed a triangle trapping Hemanth at the center.

Mushra and Hemanth had been exchanging blows for several minutes. Their weapons rang out in a rhythm of thrust, parry, and counter attack. In the latest round, Hemanth came close enough that he was able to grab Mushra bodily. The gorilla Hyper Enterran lifted his prey above his head and with a roar threw him to the ground. Mushra landed face down on the grass. Hemanth stepped forward and prepared to run his sword through the downed Hyper Enterran's back.

"Mushra!" A swirling column of water from Sago drove Hemanth away from Mushra and towards Kutal. The leonine Hyper Enterran cocked his arm and let loose a powerful punch that drove the gorilla Hyper Enterran back towards Mushra. Mushra rose to his knees and raised his javelin just in time for Hemanth to impale himself on the weapon. His body shuddered, fragmented, and dissipated. The last attacker's En card drifted slowly to the ground.

* * *

From behind the trees on the far side of the clearing, Luchrisk had watched the battle with mounting fury as the strangers reduced his soldiers to En cards one by one. The fight had gone well until the first stranger changed to his hypermode. Luchrisk had heard rumors that the human was protected by Hyper Enterrans — that rare subspecies of Enterran capable of transforming into a more powerful physical form — but he had dismissed the rumors as unlikely. Now, he knew they were true.

Believing his soldiers fully capable of capturing the human female, Luchrisk had not joined the ight initially. When the first stranger transformed, he realized that someone needed to survive the battle in order to report the information to Lord Braegon. He gave himself that responsibility. Captain Luchrisk was no coward. He was a soldier who knew that his first duty was to inform his lord of the dangerous strangers in his territory. As the En card of his last soldier drifted downwards, Luchrisk turned and silently left the area. The strangers and he would meet, he vowed, but not until he had gathered Lord Braegon's full army to guarantee that the strangers would be defeated.

* * *

With the fight finally over, Yakumo ran from the tree line to join her friends. Red, yellow, and blue lights briefly surrounded Mushra, Kutal, and Sago as their bodies returned from hypermode to their normal form. Along with his normal form came the exhaustion and injury that had plagued Sago before the transformation. Overcome, the Enterran collapsed to his knees. 

**To Be Continued …**


End file.
